Adding Bookstore Logo to Gift Card Just Makes Sense

As the Book Sense Gift Card program gets into full swing and the holiday season draws closer, booksellers planning to join the Book Sense Gift Card Program should note that they can still order the gift card branded with their own store logo and receive them in time for the holidays. Jill Perlstein, ABA's marketing director, told BTW that a store logo coupled with a gift card's popularity just makes good business sense for a bookstore.

"The additional cost to add a logo is worth it, as it's additional exposure for the bookstore," said Perlstein. "It's a little billboard with the store information and logo on it." She stressed that gift cards branded with a store's logo will take two to three weeks from the time they are ordered, so booksellers should act today.

To add a logo to a generic card, all logos that are submitted must be one color, black, with no shading, due to the reproduction technology used to imprint the logo on the card. Also, logos should be sent as black and white EPS files, TIFF, or JPG files at 300 dpi. The dimensions of the logo must not exceed 1.13" wide x 1.13" high. Logos should be e-mailed to [email protected]. (The bookstore name and telephone number should appear in the subject field of the e-mail.) For more information on logo submission guidelines, click here.

Additionally, if a bookstore does not have a logo, or if the bookseller prefers, they may supply the store name and address in a type treatment using the same guidelines as outlined above for a logo. Givex will review all logos to be sure that the art fits the proper requirements. Booksellers requesting a proof will receive a PDF proof for position only via e-mail. A fee of $45 will be charged for this service.

Once booksellers have completed the order form and have signed and completed the ACH agreement, the timeline for receiving cards is as follows: Orders placed for generic cards (without logos) will be shipped within a week. Cards that are imprinted with a logo or text onto a generic card will take 10 - 15 days once a usable logo has been submitted. (To see examples of the generic gift cards with an imprinted logo or text, click here.)

The cost of adding a bookstore logo and/or information to a card includes a $25 set-up fee for each order plus 9¢ per card.

Whether booksellers choose the generic card or to include a logo, those who wish to have gift cards available for the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally the busiest retail sales day of the year, should sign the Book Sense Electronic Gift Card Program Participation Agreement and order cards now. The agreement and order forms are online at www.BookWeb.org/read/6372.

For comprehensive information on the Book Sense Gift Card Program, go to www.bookweb.org/read/6303. Questions should be addressed to ABA Marketing Director Jill Perlstein at [email protected] or (800) 637-0037, ext. 1283.